Five Brilliant Brands Created And Run By Women
From around the world, each in a different industry, all committed to daring to do business differently.
Image with permission from The Sussex Bee. Photographer Stephen Winslade
1. ‘The bees will be starting to cluster in their hives, keeping warm and working through their stores. I think they have the right idea.’
Beekeeping - honey & candles - The Sussex Bee
‘Small batch unpasteurised honey and hand-dipped beeswax candles’
The Sussex Bee is the love of Lia Markwick. A second-generation beekeeper, she evokes the wonder of the world of bees, sharing the daily rhythms of hives and honey-making with a gentle respect and knowledge passed on by her father.
‘Spring wildflower honey. Light and tangy - a little floral signature of the season past.’
Lia manages to make her little corner of Instagram a peaceful and meditative place. Every quietly crafted post provides a fascinating insight into the daily drama of her bees' lives; the joys, the skill and the heartbreaks. All of which she captures in her honey room (*a honey room - sign!) pouring the liquid gold into little pots and hand-dipped candles to sell.
‘Forever absorbed in the wonder of this wild architecture - passing hours in the honey room can feel like minutes at this time of year.’
Do follow Lia and her bees. Their Honey & Light Gift box makes a delicious present.
2. ‘Pale metallic silver waves that glint in the light…a tempestuous sea designed to flow across your walls.’
Pattern design - Abigail Edwards
Abigail's hand-drawn wallpapers, fabrics and accessories are inspired by nature and fairy tales.
‘never-ending tangled brambles with metallic thorns…creating the effect of being nestled in a bramble thicket.’
Pattern can feel noisy and overstimulating but Abigail manages to create beautifully quiet but detailed patterns - ‘Quiet Pattern’ is the title of her beautiful book. The storytelling of her creations can offer space to allow the mind to rest and the imagination to escape and wonder.
‘I look to the soothing colours of nature, or to transportative worlds, to take us away from the strife of modern life. Harmonious shapes, proportions and colour palettes can bring solace to a restless mind.’
I have the ‘Seascape’ design in my daughter’s bedroom and love how she traces the lines of the waves, gentling drifting off to sleep; I like to imagine she dreams of the ocean. Such a calming image I now have it my bedroom too.
3. ‘With sun-kissed cheeks, grubby knees, and bare feet, no day went by without a picnic.’
Children’s clothing - Organic Zoo
Paulina founded Organic Zoo over 10 years ago and has grown it into a successful brand that is now stocked in 300 shops around the world.
It’s a joy to work with Paulina as an ongoing Client, crafting the story of her brand and collections.
‘We would dream up wonderful worlds full of joy and colour. There were few toys available to buy so instead we would pretend, creating games, stories and places in our minds.’
She has a true entrepreneur spirit and dares to do business differently, always staying true to her values while looking for the next opportunity. She takes her reponsibility as a business owner seriously, and gives real consideration to the impact and influence she can have on people and the planet. Through her success she is able to support and create opportunities for other women.
Organic Zoo speaks to a simpler, more sustainable way of living, and every piece of clothing is both beautiful to wear and practical for play.
4. ‘We champion independent makers, designers and brands, and delve into their worlds’
Independent interiors & lifestyle magazine - 91 Magazine
Caroline Rowland is a true champion of small businesses and creatives. Passionate about supporting brands that really care about what they do, and the communities they serve. As a long-time magazine lover, Caroline started 91 Magazine as a passion project, and it’s gone on to be more successful than she ever dreamed.
‘91 Magazine is made up of a group of women, all passionate about creating an independent print magazine that champions interiors for real living, and supports the creative small business community.’
I was a reader of 91 for several years, before having the opportunity to work with Caroline. I admire the way she’s taken on the publishing industry to create the magazine she wanted to read and supporting so many independent businesses and creatives in the process. She’s one of those people that is always working on a new idea which she’ll then execute brilliantly, including self-publishing a series of books.
5. ‘in everything from wet winds and hard hail, to soft rain and a mild breeze; to gather specimens of this wondrous weed.’
Skincare & food - Mungo Murphy Seaweed
A playful story full of passion and personality.
‘Even when the rocks are covered in frost and the air numbs their labouring fingers, Mungo's helpers are out there - with the rain spitting down on their heads - picking seaweed. And they love it too. Otherwise, they would probably be doing something else.’
The charming character of Mungo is the creation of founder Sinead O’Brien’s imagination…
‘She gave birth to him late one night as she was trying to write a story but instead what emerged was a business idea.’
Mungo Murphy's Seaweed Co. produce natural seaweed bath and beauty products using sustainably hand-harvested seaweed from the Connemara region of Co. Galway. Unusually for a beauty brand they also produce edible products.
The business has won an award in recognition for reviving what was once a traditional food source and encouraging a greater connection, understanding and respect for coastal life and communities.
‘It’s strange to think that seaweed was at one time associated with poverty and today is seen on fine dining restaurant menus and in fancy spa treatments. As a business owner, I wanted to be able to offer all of the natural benefits of seaweed in its simplest form, for people to use in whichever way is of most interest/relevance to them in their lives.’
Want to discover more brilliant brands? The stories continue on Instagram @simplemattersmedia and sign up for our monthly newsletter ‘StoryWorks’